As the heat of summer wanes and fall officially begins, the time for planting perennials has arrived. Perennials can be divided into two general categories: herbaceous and woody. Herbaceous perennials have soft stems, and woody perennials are commonly known as shrubs and trees. Many geophytes — plants that grow from bulbs and other underground storage structures — are herbaceous perennials especially suited for fall planting since certain species require a period of winter cold to bloom at their maximum potential when the weather warms. Although not all bulbs require winter chilling, the ones for sale in the nursery now are assured of blooming most prolifically if placed in the refrigerator for six weeks prior to planting.
When it comes to planting, getting the most out of bulbs requires placing them close to each other. If you have a dozen bulbs of the same kind and plant them in a dozen different garden spots, you will not appreciate them nearly as much as planting them in a single clump. This is especially true with small-flowered types such as paperwhite narcissus (Narcissus papyraceus). This is a bulb no garden should be without. A clump of paperwhites will expand from year to year without any special attention on your part, whether planted in full sun or under a tree. They also make outstanding cut flowers and will waft their perfume through a room when stood in a vase.
Furthermore, since paperwhites need no winter chilling, plant them indoors if you like, and they will sprout shoots and flower within six weeks. For planting in water, place 2-4 inches of pebbles in a vase and set bulbs on the pebbles. Add water until it touches the base of the bulbs and keep it at that level. If water covers the bulbs, they will rot. If you plant in a container, either indoors or out, use topsoil — available inexpensively by the bag in many nurseries and garden centers — or another fast-draining soil mix, taking care that bulb tips are exposed.
If you want to increase the blooming capacity of your bulb garden, utilize the lasagna or layered planting method, where three bulbs are situated one on top of the other. If you are planting daffodils exclusively, for example, dig a hole eight inches deep where the first bulb will rest on the bottom. Cover it with two inches of compost, plant the second bulb at a six-inch depth and, after placing another two inches of compost above it, plant the third bulb at a four-inch depth. Offset each bulb so it is not directly above the one below it. The uppermost bulb will bloom first since it will warm up in the spring before the others, then the second, and then the third. You can also plant three bulbs of decreasing size in the same hole with a daffodil at the bottom, a hyacinth in the middle, and a dwarf iris or anemone at the top.
Turban ranunculus (Ranunculus asiaticus) are among the most rewarding plants to grow, so don’t be put off by the preparation prior to planting their tiny, claw-like corms. Ranunculus flowers appear in red, orange, yellow, pink, cream, and white and have the form of tightly wrapped turbans or multi-layered roses, complemented by exquisitely ferny foliage. Soak the corms for three to four hours in a shallow bowl of water, preferably distilled, which will hydrate and plump them. Afterward, place corms in a shallow tray covered with an inch or two of potting soil, and put them in a cool place such as a garage for 10-14 days. Make sure the soil does not dry out but does not stay too moist since the corms are susceptible to rot. After around two weeks, you should see shoots begin to emerge, at which time the corms may be planted two inches deep in rich soil.
Most of the bulb plants we grow are native to arid climates and demonstrate their toughness in being indifferent to long, hot and dry summers that would be fatal to most other leafy species. By the same token, it is critically important not to remove bulb leaves that have flopped and shriveled. As long as these leaves are green, they are producing carbohydrate, which primes the invisible bulbs for next year’s flower display.
There is now an app that allows you to save and share time-lapse videos of your garden plants. While you can create time-lapse videos with a Ring camera directed at your garden, to save and send videos you will need to work with a Ring-associated app called Greenlapse. This app will also identify plants filmed in the videos.
If you own property in an area susceptible to wildfire damage and are thinking of building a dwelling there, consider construction of a domicile made from the earth. We may think of such earthen or adobe structures as unique to the American Southwest. Yet “adobe” is an ancient Egyptian word, found in hieroglyphics that are 4,500 years old, whose meaning is “mud brick” and refers to sun-dried bricks composed of mud from the banks of the Nile River and straw. These bricks have stood the test of time as they were used in the construction of certain Egyptian pyramids that are still standing, albeit with a veneer of protective limestone. In this context, it is appropriate that Cal-Earth, a non-profit that promotes SuperAdobe building techniques, is located in Hesperia in the Mojave Desert, where the climate resembles that of the Middle East. Cal-Earth has designed and built adobe structures across the globe, but serves primarily as an educational institute. Workshops are held where participants practice hands-on “earth architecture.” Cal-Earth adobe structures are not only fire-resistant but, owing to their dome design, arches, and innovative engineering, earthquake-resistant as well. Detailed videos on calearth.org take you step-by-step through the building process. Thanks to Robert Ginn, who gardens in Arcadia, for bringing this organization to my attention.
Do you have a bulb experience you would like to pass along? If so, send it to joshua@perfectplants.com. Your questions and comments, as well as gardening conundrums and success stories, are always welcome. You are invited to peruse an app I am developing by the name of Curious Food Gardener, available from the App Store at no charge.
California native of the week: Mariposa lilies do not get the billing they deserve. Mariposa means butterfly in Spanish and refers to the eponymous image on the flower petals of some species. There are more than 50 species native to California, the epicenter of this genus, and 28 endemics. Colors include yellow, orange, pink, mauve, and white. As members of the lily family, they grow from bulbs, so you will see your planting expand in size from one year to the next. Mariposa lilies are shaped like flared tulips, and you will therefore see them referred to as star tulips as well. Mariposa lilies are extremely rare in the nursery trade, but I located bulbs of Calochortus uniflorus var. Cupido at brentandbeckysbulbs.com, where you can order 10 Cupido bulbs for $6.25. While drought-tolerant like all of its kin, this cultivar can handle occasional irrigation.